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Category Archives: Governance

A good deal has been written … some of it on this blog … about the characteristics of a good trustee for a nonprofit institution and what the institution and the board should expect from such a trustee. Much less has been written about what a trustee should expect in return for service on a […]

Anyone who spends time working with nonprofit institutions on governance or who is a trustee who cares about good nonprofit governance is familiar with the tension between common practice and best practice. This tension often arises when suggestions for governance changes stretch the institution and its board to think about the way it practices governance […]

Most of us are flattered and intrigued when we are asked to join a nonprofit board of trustees. This is particularly true if we already have some involvement with the institution or are already committed to the institution’s mission. When asked to join a board, we think about the time involved, the philanthropic expectations, and […]

A friend of mine, a retired college president, recently told me a story about a trustee who believes the only meeting agenda item necessary for a nonprofit board of trustees is … “Should we fire the president?” If the answer is “no,” the meeting should be adjourned, and the trustees should go home. A bit […]

An old aphorism about being a trustee of a nonprofit institution notes that the institution should receive two out of the following three from a trustee – work, wisdom, or wealth. While simplistic, there is a kernel of truth here. As a way of elaborating on the aphorism, let me suggest the following characteristics of […]